July 20, 2007

DAYTON, Ohio - The University of Dayton baseball team announced the addition of two more players to its already impressive incoming recruiting class on Friday. Infielder Jacob Spaeth and catcher Marshall MacDonald will transfer from their respective Junior Colleges to join the Flyer roster for the 2008 season.

"Both Jacob and Marshall fill very important voids in our offensive lineup," UD Head Coach Tony Vittorio said. "Jacob should be able to hit in our leadoff spot and Marshall should be able to hit right in the middle or heart of our lineup."

Spaeth, was an All-Conference selection in 2006 as well as a 2007 All-Region and All-District honoree at Madison Area Technical College. The native of Slinger, WI appeared in 53 games last season for MATC and hit .318 with a .447 on base percentage and a team-best 30 stolen bases. Spaeth stole 71 bases in just 78 attempts over the past two seasons at MATC. He also led the Wolfpack with 5 6 runs scored while ranking second on the roster with 36 RBI. The 5-8 left handed hitting outfielder added 14 extra-base hits including nine doubles in 2007.

MacDonald, a 6-0, 210-pound catcher from Red Deer, Alberta, led Colby Community College in batting average last season by hitting at a .386 clip. He also led the Trojans in doubles (17) and on base percentage (.480) while ranking second in RBI (38), runs scored (32) and overall hits (56). The backstop also threw out nearly 50 percent of all would be base stealers.

"I am excited to work with both of these guys throughout the course of the next two seasons both in the classroom and on the baseball field," Vittorio added. "With the signing of these guys, it wraps up what I feel an outstanding recruiting class for the upcoming season."

Spaeth and MacDonald join fellow JC transfers Jake Hoover (Lawrence, KS/Neosho County CC) and Ryan Nevill (Terre Haute, Ind/Lake Land CC) on the Dayton roster for 2008. The group will also be joined by five incoming freshman in right handed pitchers Burny Mitchem (Farmington, Mich./Farmington HS), Tim Corbey (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's HS) and Tim Lynn (Canton, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) as well as outfielders Joey Henry (Rochester Hills, Mich./Brother Rice HS) and Zach Lammers (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville HS). The pair of Mitchem and Henry were noted as 'High School Players to Watch' by Collegiate Baseball this past February.

Dayton finished 21-33 overall and 9-18 in Atlantic 10 Conference play in 2007. The Flyers finished with their seventh 20-win season under the direction of eighth-year Head Coach Tony Vittorio. UD had 29 of its 54 games decided by two runs or less and went 11-18 in those games.